Partners

African Parks’ longest-running partnership is with Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), since the agreement for Majete Wildlife Reserve in 2003. DNPW manages and conserves wildlife resources and administers the Wildlife Policy and National Parks and Wildlife Act. In 2015, African Parks and the DNPW signed an agreement for Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park, and in 2018 for Mangochi Forest Reserve. African Parks partnered with the Department of Forestry; all agreements were facilitated by the Public-Private Partnership Commission. Mr Brighton Kumchedwa is the current Director of the DNPW.

The Lottery manages lotteries on behalf of 20 postcode trusts. A minimum of 33% from each ticket goes directly to charities and good causes across Britain and internationally. Since 2015, African Parks has received more than £8.2m awarded by Postcode Planet Trust, thanks to funds raised by players of the Lottery. In 2022, we were awarded £1.5m through the Postcode Planet Trust, which was used to support the three Malawi parks and Garamba National Park in the DRC.

RWF supports ambitious projects, partners and programmes to foster a planet where people and nature thrive. With the passion of their founder, RWF works with urgency and an earnest belief that it will take all of us to reach global conservation goals, protect biodiversity, and create opportunity for communities. Rob Walton has been an invaluable partner to African Parks since 2003, providing support to safeguard the long-term health of protected areas, which are critical to the wellbeing of wildlife and local communities across Africa. In 2021, the RWF made a transformational US$100 million five-year commitment, the largest endowment gift in African Parks’ history. Portions of the Foundation’s annual contributions have supported various parks within our portfolio, including Chinko, Ennedi, Liwonde and Nkhotakota, as well as sparked matching grants to Iona and Odzala-Kokoua, in conjunction with the Legacy Landscapes Fund. Moreover, RWF made pivotal commitments to launch the African Parks Conservation Academy and enhance the reach and effectiveness of the Strategic Partners Programme. These initiatives will collectively strengthen the field of protected area management across Africa, demonstrating the Foundation's dedication to conservation leadership and capacity building.

A grant-making organisation, the Foundation offers UBS clients a platform to use their wealth to drive positive social and environmental change. The Foundation selects programmes that tackle environmental and climate issues, those with the potential to be transformative, scalable and sustainable, as well as programmes that improve children’s health and education. In 2022, the Foundation awarded African Parks a multi-year grant in support of Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in Malawi.

INL advances security, stability, and the rule of law, prerequisites for sustainable economic development and conservation of natural resources. Since 2017, INL has partnered with African Parks on critical law enforcement support in protected areas, enhancing the professionalisation and effectiveness of rangers across Africa. While standardised operational capacity transcends all protected areas under African Parks’ management, 10 protected areas have received direct support in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Republic of Congo, Central Africa Republic, Benin, Malawi and Zambia. INL’s support has led to the development of leadership and core training infrastructure, enables air surveillance, improves the welfare of rangers and canines, enhances technology for communication, wildlife monitoring and information management, and advances national and regional collaboration with other security and conservation partners. Evidence management training and support of judicial systems have also contributed to notable increases in wildlife crime convictions. These interventions not only safeguard wildlife, but also contribute to increased security of neighbouring communities and regional stability.

WWF has been supporting African Parks since 2007, with the goal of promoting the African Parks management model across Africa. WWF Belgium became a strategic funding partner in 2017, supporting the Malawi parks and Liuwa Plain National Park in Zambia.

The Wyss Foundation is a private charitable organisation dedicated to supporting innovative, lasting solutions that improve lives, empower communities and strengthen connections to the land. The Foundation’s partnership with African Parks began in 2015 and has focused on supporting the long-term restoration and management of protected areas. Through a series of transformative commitments, the Wyss Foundation has helped expand the African Parks portfolio by providing start-up funding for new protected areas. The Foundation has continued to support these parks from the early stages of their management and restoration as they progress toward long-term stability. This enduring partnership reflects the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening conservation capacity and safeguarding critical landscapes across Africa.